Alabama News

An updated report was issued from the National Weather Service on Thursday at 1:10 p.m. for strong thunderstorms until 2:15 p.m. for Geneva and Houston counties.

Residents can look for wind gusts of up to 40 mph.

“At 1:09 p.m., Doppler radar tracked strong thunderstorms along a line extending from 14 miles north of Panama City Beach to 10 miles west of Wewahitchka to 6 miles northwest of Apalachicola. Movement was north at 35 mph,” says the weather service. “Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects.”

Locations impacted by the alert include Panama City, Lynn Haven, Callaway, Cottonwood, Vernon, Bonifay, Geneva, Marianna, Apalachicola, De Funiak Springs, Blountstown, Chipley, Graceville, Springfield, Hartford, Slocomb, Samson, Hiland Park, Stonemill Creek and Chattahoochee.

The weather service adds, “If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. Torrential rainfall is also occurring with these storms and may lead to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.”

Preparing for impending lightning strikes: Expert safety recommendations

Each year, lightning strikes the United States approximately 25 million times, with the majority of these electrifying events occurring during the summer months. Unfortunately, lightning is responsible for claiming the lives of approximately 20 people annually, as reported by the weather service. The threat of lightning becomes more pronounced as thunderstorms draw nearer, peaking when the storm is directly overhead and gradually waning as it moves away.

To protect yourself during a thunderstorm, take these recommendations into consideration:

Lightning safety plan:

• When venturing outdoors, it’s crucial to have a lightning safety plan in place.
• Monitor the sky for threatening signs and listen for the sound of thunder. If thunder is audible, it’s an indication that lightning is nearby.
• Seek shelter promptly in a safe location, preferably indoors.

Indoors safety measures:

• Once you’re indoors, avoid using corded phones, electrical devices, plumbing fixtures, and stay away from windows and doors.
• These precautions help reduce the risk of electrical surges, as lightning can follow conductive pathways.

Wait for the all-clear:

• After the last lightning strike or thunderclap, wait at least 30 minutes before resuming outdoor activities.
• Lightning can strike even when a storm has seemingly passed, so exercise caution.

When indoor shelter isn’t available:

If you find yourself outdoors with no access to indoor shelter during a thunderstorm, take these steps to maximize your safety:

• Avoid open fields, hilltops, or ridge crests, which expose you to greater lightning risk.
• Steer clear of tall, isolated trees and other prominent objects. In wooded areas, stay close to lower stands of trees.
• If you’re in a group, ensure that individuals are spaced out to prevent lightning current from transferring between people.
• Camping in an open setting during a thunderstorm is strongly discouraged. If you have no alternative, set up camp in a valley, ravine, or other low-lying areas. It’s crucial to note that a tent provides no protection against lightning.
• Do not approach water bodies, wet objects, or metal items. While water and metal don’t attract lightning, they conduct electricity effectively and can pose significant risks.

In summary, when facing the threat of lightning, vigilance and preparedness are your best allies. By following these guidelines, you can significantly reduce the chances of lightning-related accidents and prioritize your safety.

Navigating heavy rain: Essential safety measures for wet roads

When heavy rain strikes, safety is paramount. Equip yourself with these guidelines from the weather service to navigate wet roads and avoid hazards:

Beware of rapid water flow:

During heavy rain, avoid parking or walking near culverts or drainage ditches, where swift-moving water can pose a serious risk.

Maintain safe driving distances:

The two-second rule for following distance is your ally in heavy rain. Extend it to four seconds to ensure safe spacing in adverse conditions.

Reduce speed and drive cautiously:

On wet roads, slowing down is paramount. Gradually ease off the accelerator and avoid abrupt braking to prevent skidding.

Choose your lane wisely:

Stick to the middle lanes to minimize the risk of hydroplaning. Outer lanes are more prone to accumulating water.

Prioritize visibility

Turn on your headlights and be careful of other vehicles to the rear and in blind spot areas as they are especially difficult to see through rain-spattered windows.

Watch out for slippery roads:

The initial half-hour of rain is when roads are slickest due to a mixture of rain, grime, and oil. Exercise heightened caution during this period.

Keep a safe distance from large vehicles:

Don’t follow large trucks or buses too closely. The spray created by their large tires reduces your vision. Take care when passing them as well; if you must pass, do so quickly and safely.

Mind your windshield wipers:

Overloaded wiper blades can hinder visibility. If rain severely limits your sight, pull over and wait for conditions to improve. Seek refuge at rest areas or protected spots.

When stopping by the roadside is your only option, position your vehicle as far off the road as possible, ideally beyond guardrails. Keep your headlights on and activate emergency flashers to alert other drivers of your position.

In the face of heavy rain, these precautions can make a significant difference in ensuring your safety on the road. Remember to stay informed about weather conditions and heed guidance from local authorities for a secure journey.

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.

An agreement signed Monday between the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Department of Homeland Security has given U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement access to the personal data of all Medicaid enrollees, according to a report from The Associated Press.

This will give the agency access to 79 million people’s private information, including home addresses and ethnicities, for the purpose of finding “the location of aliens,” according to the report.

The agreement, which has not been publicly announced as of July 17, does not allow ICE officials to download the data, AP News reports.

Instead, they will be allowed to access it for a limited period from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, until Sept. 9.

Efforts to reach U.S. Sens. Katie Britt, R-Ala. and Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala. for comment on the agreement were not immediately successful.

This is the latest move in the President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, which is currently striving to arrest 3,000 people daily, according to previous comments from White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller.

Although immigrants who are not living in the U.S. legally, as well as some lawfully present immigrants, are not allowed to enroll in the Medicaid program, federal law requires all states to offer emergency Medicaid, a temporary coverage that pays only for lifesaving services in emergency rooms to anyone, including non-U.S. citizens.

“It’s unthinkable that CMS [Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services] would violate the trust of Medicaid enrollees in this way,” Hannah Katch, a previous adviser at CMS during the Biden administration, told AP News.

She added that the personally identifiable information of enrollees has not been historically shared outside of the agency unless for law enforcement purposes to investigate waste, fraud or abuse of the program.

Last month, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s advisers ordered the release of a dataset that includes the private health information of people living in California, Illinois, Washington state, and Washington, D.C., to the Department of Homeland Security.

All of those states allow non-U.S. citizens to enroll in Medicaid programs that pay for their expenses using only state taxpayer dollars.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta and 19 other states’ attorneys general have sued over the move, saying it violated federal privacy laws.

Whether you liked it or not, chances are you were talking about.

Shane Gillis’ edgy monologue Wednesday night at the ESPYs made for some awkward moments inside the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

No one was safe from Gillis, who stars in the Netflix series “Tires,” took aim at Donald Trump, Caitlan Clark and Bill Belichick to name a few.

Here are some of the edgier jokes that were met with hesitation by those in attendance but seemed to land with social media:

Caitlin Clark

“When Caitlin Clark retires from the WNBA, she’s going to work at a Waffle House so she can continue doing what she loves most — fist fighting black women,” he said.

Gillis said he and Clark are similar because they’re “both whites from the Midwest who have nailed a bunch of 3s.”

WNBA

“Four-time WNBA All-Star Brittany Hicks is here. Give it up for Brittany, everybody. I’m just joking around; that’s my friend’s wife, I knew none of you knew WNBA players.”

Bill Belichick

“A bookie is what Bill Belichick reads to his girlfriend before bedtime,” Gillis said. “They read, ‘Very horny caterpillar,’ ‘The Little Engine That Could But Needed A Pill First,’ and of course, the classic, ‘Good Night Boobs.’”

Donald Trump

“Joe Rogan actually wanted me to be here to host this award show so that I could capture Adam Silver because Joe thinks he’s an alien,” Gillis said. “And Donald Trump wanted me to be here to capture Juan Soto for the same reason.”

“Donald Trump wants to stage a UFC fight on the White House lawn. The last time he staged a fight in D.C., Mike Pence almost died,” Gillis said. “… Actually, there was supposed to be an Epstein joke here, but I guess it got deleted. Probably deleted itself, right? Probably never existed. Let’s move on as a country and ignore that.”

Aaron Rodgers

“Aaron Rodgers did not take the vaccine because he predicted that it would be bad for him and then he joined the New York Jets. So maybe he wasn’t right about everything,” he said.

Social media reaction

WWE Friday Night SmackDown heads to San Antonio, Texas this week following an exciting show last weekend. This show was originally scheduled for early June. The rescheduled date was announced back in March. This rendition of SmackDown will take place just a few days after AEW’s All In Texas event.

Last week, a Fatal 4-way match between Alexa Bliss, Roxanne Perez, Kairi Sane and Sol Ruca. Bliss would come out victorious.

In the WWE Tag Team title match, the Wyatt Sicks defeated the Street Profits to become the new set of champions.

Fans looking to watch SmackDown this week can do so for free using a free trial offered by DIRECTV. Also, Sling offers a solid first-month discount to new users.

With last week’s show being in Nashville, Grammy-winning artist Jelly Roll had a segment, which was eventually interrupted by Logan Paul. Jelly Roll would then save Randy Orton from Paul.

R-Truth (Ron Killings) also got back into the win column with an upset win over Aleister Black.

Fans looking to watch SmackDown this week can do so for free using a free trial offered by DIRECTV. Also, Sling offers a solid first-month discount to new users.

SmackDown will take place on Friday at 6:30 p.m. ET.

The Alabama Department of Transportation will close lanes on the Tennessee River Bridges for a few nights.

ALDOT is working to rehabilitate bridges on I-65.

Workers will close one lane at a time to work on bridge rails and guardrails. They will be closed from 6 p.m. Thursday, July 17, to 5 a.m. Friday, July 18, and 6 p.m. Sunday, July 20, to 5 a.m. Monday, July 21.

Subcontractors will begin on the northbound bridge first and then shift to the southbound bridge.

Contractor Cekra, Inc. is set to complete the $23.7 million bridge rehabilitation of the 50-year-old bridge in the fall. It consists of repairing concrete and cleaning, painting and repairing the structural steel.

The project is ahead of schedule. It was originally set to be completed in Spring 2026.

Drivers should expect delays while the lanes are closed. According to WHNT, Highway 31 is expected to experience increased traffic. Drivers can take alternative routes like Somerville Road, 4th Avenue SE or Central Parkway to avoid congestion.

Veterans of the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo often throw around the phrase “rodeo weather.” If you know, you know.

“It ain’t gonna be a rodeo without a little rain,” said Jay Loper, vice president of publicity for the 2025 event, spelling it out for those who don’t know.

The 92nd ADSFR runs Friday through Sunday, and there’s certainly a chance of rain in the forecast, thanks to a wobbly tropical system that might or might not develop into a depression and a major rainmaker for some portion of the central Gulf Coast. But, as of Thursday morning, it seemed unlikely to put much of a damper on an event that regularly draws thousands of anglers to the waters of coastal Alabama.

One thing that distinguishes this particular fishing rodeo is that it also tends to draw thousands of spectators. Some come to see whether record-breaking fish or sharks are weighed in (and based on recent years, odds are good).

Some bring the kids for a rare look at the marine life of the Gulf. Thanks to a partnership with scientists from the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, who harvest samples and data from the catch, one of the central attractions for visitors is a display area where dozens of fish, including some weird ones, are displayed on ice. And there’s always someone on hand to explain what you’re looking at.

Many come for a festival atmosphere that includes vendors, sponsor displays and live music. Another attraction: for spectators, admission is free.

Back to the subject of records. The 2024 rodeo got off to a slow start thanks to stormy weather, but things picked up fast: by the end of the opening day, observers had gotten to see a 432-pound bull shark – not much short of the state record at the time, which was 448 pounds, 4 ounces. Other opening-day catches included a 107.5-pound swordfish and a 120.7-pound yellowfin tuna.

Big sharks have been a theme in recent years. In the 2023 rodeo, Robert Brett Rutledge of Mobile caught a 1,019-pound tiger shark that has since been certified as a state record. On the final day of the 2024 event, the Bon Secour Butchers team brought in a bull shark that weighed in at 494.5 pounds. It, too, has been certified as a state record, attributed to Tommy J. Bowyer.

Rodeo organizers have an established history of working with scientists, particularly teams from the Dauphin Island Sea Lab and the University of South Alabama’s Stokes School of Marine and Environmental Sciences. Marine scientists Sean Powers of USA and Marcus Drymon of Mississippi State University have said the catch gives them a vital window into what’s going on with shark populations in the Gulf.

In 2024, Powers and Drymon said the trend of big sharks seemed to show that efforts to end overfishing of sharks in recent decades were having positive results. Loper said he won’t be surprised if the trend continues. Rodeo staffers recently accompanied University of South Alabama scientists on a research trip.

“I can tell you that sharks are plentiful,” he said. “A lot of bull sharks, a lot of tiger sharks. And that’s why, again, we work with South Alabama, to make sure we’re not catching things we aren’t supposed to, protected species or endangered species.”

If you’re visiting as a spectator, you’ll find the Rodeo site on the right shortly after you drive onto the island. It’ll be hard to miss. Parking arrangements are informal but plenty of parking is available along Lemoyne Drive and adjacent streets; the only hard and fast rule is that “No Parking” signs, private property and the lots of nearby businesses should be respected. No tickets are required to enter the site.

The schedule of events:

Thursday, July 17 – Pre-rodeo festivities at the rodeo site start with the annual Capt. T-Bone Liar’s Contest at 6 p.m. The Wrong Terns will perform from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Friday, July 18 – Fishing begins at 5 a.m., marked by a ceremonial cannon blast at the rodeo site. The weigh station will open at 10 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. The Molly Ringwalds will perform from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Saturday, July 19 – The weigh station will open at 10 a.m. and remain open until 7 p.m. Hamilton Gardner will perform at 5 p.m.

Sunday, July 20 – The weigh station will open at 10 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. with a ceremonial cannon blast. The Big Reveal performs at 3 p.m.

Monday, July 21 – The rodeo awards ceremony will begin at 6 p.m. at The Grounds in west Mobile.

For full Rodeo information, visit www.adsfr.com. For updates, visit www.facebook.com/ADSFR.

A U.S. Postal Service worker was killed in a multi-vehicle crash Wednesday in Northport.

Police on Thursday identified the victim as Voncelle Renee Gamble. She was 36 and lived in Tuscaloosa.

The wreck happened at 12:39 p.m. Wednesday on Highway 43, just south of Highway 171.

Northport police and fire medics, as well as NorthStar Ambulance, responded to the crash in the southbound lanes of Highway 43. Assistant police Chief Keith Carpenter said four vehicles were involved.

Gamble was pronounced dead on the scene. Three other people were treated for minor injuries, Carpenter said.

The cause of the deadly accident is being investigated by the Northport Police Department’s Traffic Reconstruction Unit. Carpenter said no criminal charges are pending currently.

Auburn football added to its 2026 recruiting class on Thursday, beefing up the offensive line.

Four-star offensive tackle Wilson Zierer announced his commitment to the Tigers on X (formerly Twitter), becoming the 10th player in Auburn’s 2026 recruiting class.

Zierer chose the Tigers over Alabama and Florida State, following in the footsteps of his brother, Kilian Zierer, who played at Auburn from 2020-2022.

Originally from Germany, Zierer plays high school football at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee in Rabun Gap, Georgia. Listed at 6-foot-6, 280 pounds, he’s the No. 305 overall player in the country and the 26th-best offensive tackle, according to the 247Sports composite rankings.

Zierer’s commitment makes him the third offensive lineman in Auburn’s 2026 class, joining Nikau Hepi and Parker Pritchett.

Peter Rauterkus covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @peter_rauterkus or email him at [email protected]m

NASA’s flagship moon program “reaffirms” the key role that Marshall Space Flight Center plays in human space exploration, the center’s director said Thursday at an event celebrating the 65th anniversary of the Huntsville institution.

Speaking at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, Director Joseph Pelfrey paid homage to the thousands of workers whose careers have placed them at Marshall since its founding July 1, 1960 — as the Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union was heating up.

The center’s story, “can be told through the many missions and projects we’ve accomplished,” Pelfrey said. “It can also be told through the thousands of careers that have started or ended here … this community has provided the absolute best our nation has to offer.”

Marshall is one of NASA’s largest field centers, with nearly 7,000 civil service and contractor employees. As the center’s 15th director, Pelfrey oversees an annual budget of about $5 billion dollars from federal appropriations that multiply throughout Alabama’s economy, according to a 2024 report.

Much of that spending is tied to NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to establish a permanent colony on the moon as a step toward crewed Mars missions. Marshall is the lead NASA center for key Artemis hardware and software systems, including the Space Launch System rockets and the Orion crew craft.

“The work we do at Marshall drives NASA’s bold mission and goals that we have as a nation,” Pelfrey said.

The center’s anniversary comes at a time when NASA faces historic uncertainty over funding for its exploration and science missions. President Donald Trump’s budget proposal called for phasing out the SLS and Orion after the Artemis III mission that will return humans to the moon’s surface in 2027. The House and Senate, however, restored billions in funding.

The space agency, though, is looking at over 2,100 pending departures of mid- and senior-level staff due to the administration’s downsizing efforts, according to a report this month by POLITICO. That includes 279 at MSFC.

Pelfrey’s speech stressed Marshall’s role in the Artemis program. The first mission, in 2022, built confidence in the SLS, he said, and “reaffirmed Marshall’s role as a leader in shaping the future of human spaceflight.”

The center is currently taking a “thoughtful look” at its role within NASA as well as the new global landscape of space exploration and commercialization.

“As we look toward that Artemis III mission, when the next humans land on the moon, they’ll do so in a Marshall-led, industry-developed Human Landing System,” Pelfrey said.

The center’s anniversary celebration continues with a free community event July 19 from noon to 5 p.m. at the Orion Amphitheater. The event will feature space exhibits, music, food vendors and hands-on activities for all ages.

Pelfrey will lead a program beginning at 12:30 that includes a presentation from some of the Expedition 72 crew members who recently returned from a mission aboard the International Space Station.

An investigation is underway after a man was killed in a Montgomery shooting that also injured another person.

Police on Thursday identified the slain victim as Eric Major. He was 32 and lived in Dothan.

Officers and fire medics were dispatched at 5:45 a.m. Wednesday to a report of people shot in the 2300 block of East Sixth Street, said Sgt. Tina McGriff.

They arrived to find Major dead on the scene.

A second man was found wounded and taken to the hospital. His injury is not life-threatening.

McGriff did not release the circumstances surrounding the deadly shooting.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 334-215-STOP, Montgomery detectives at 334-625-2831 or the Secret Witness tip line at 334-625-4000.